Committees are not assemblies

[Tomm]

What's the primary reason why a committees is not considered to be an assembly?

I understand there are special rules for committees and some motions that can't be used in a committee, but committees do make decisions even though can only report those decisions to their superior assembly and typically have no authority to implement those decisions unless they were given the power to do so.

 

[Josh Martin]

On 4/11/2024 at 1:57 PM, Tomm said:

What's the primary reason why a committees is not considered to be an assembly?

I understand there are special rules for committees and some motions that can't be used in a committee, but committees do make decisions even though can only report those decisions to their superior assembly and typically have no authority to implement those decisions unless they were given the power to do so.

You've answered your own question.

One of the characteristics of a deliberative assembly is that "it is a group of people, having or assuming freedom to act in concert, meeting to determine, in full and free discussion, courses of action to be taken in the name of the entire group." RONR (12th ed.) 1:1

A committee, generally, does not have the freedom to determine "courses of action to be taken in the name of the entire group." Rather, the committee acts under the direction of the committee's parent assembly, and makes recommendations to the parent assembly on the courses of action to be taken.

Edited April 11, 2024 at 07:50 PM by Josh Martin

[Joshua Katz]

When a committee is appointed with power, is it right that its meetings are still not those of a deliberative assembly?

[Atul Kapur]

Still not a deliberative assembly. The "with power" can be revoked by the parent body, so the committee still does not meet the criteria cited by Josh, above.

Delegating a particular power to a subordinate does not elevate the subordinate to the same status as the delegator.

[Joshua Katz]

On 4/11/2024 at 1:07 PM, Atul Kapur said:

Delegating a particular power to a subordinate does not elevate the subordinate to the same status as the delegator.

True. What about boards?

[Josh Martin]

On 4/11/2024 at 3:13 PM, Joshua Katz said:

True. What about boards?

I think what is said in RONR (12th ed.) 50:4 is instructive in the distinction between committees and boards in this regard.

"Generally the term committee implies that, within the area of its assigned responsibilities, the committee has less authority to act independently for the society (or other constituting power) than a board is usually understood to have. Thus, if the committee is to do more than report its findings or recommendations to the assembly, it may be empowered to act for the society only on specific instructions; or, if it is given standing powers, its actions may be more closely subject to review than a board's, or it may be required to report more fully. Also, unlike most boards, a committee in general does not have regular meeting times established by rule; but meetings of the committee are called as stated in 50:21–22. Some standing committees, however—particularly in large state or national organizations—function virtually in the manner of boards, although not designated as such." RONR (12th ed.) 50:4